Improvement in switches



C. C. SHELBY.

Switches. No. 157,876 Patented De.15, 1874.

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THE GRAPHIC CO FHQTD-LITH,39&+1PARK PLACE,N.Y.

NITED STATES PATENT QFFICE,

CHRISTOPHER C. SHELBY, OF SPRING VALLEY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 157.876, dated December15, 1874; application filed 7 September 21, 1874.

CASE A.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER G. SHEL- BY, of Spring Valley, of thecounty of Rockland and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Automatic Switches; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of my improved automatieswitch, with the main track open; and Fig. 2 is a similar view, showingthe sidmg open.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawings denote thesame parts.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic switches; and consistsin the employment of two switch-rails, pivoted at their junction withthe main rails, in combination with two short swinging rails connectedtherewith, one of which is made to slide to and from the inner siderail, and the other to and from the inside main rail, as is hereinaftermore fully set forth, by means of which a train moving on the siding inone direction switches itself on the main track, and, on its return,forms a connectionwith it.

In the accompanying drawings, A A are the rails of the main track. B Bare the switch-rails, pivoted at one end where they join the main track,their free ends being connected by rods or bolts 1) b with the free endsof the short rails O O, pivoted at c c. d is a rod connecting theswitch-rails, and e is a rod connecting the movable switch with a lever,D, by means of which the switch and short rails O C may be operated whendesired. E is a bell-crank lever, having its fulcrum at f, to one of thearms of which is attached a rod, m, the opposite end of which isattached to one of the movable switch-rails B, the other arm of thebell-crank lever E being connected by a rod, '12, with a lever, F,fulcrumed at 0. H H are the side rails. The upper end of the lever F ispreferably broadened and painted red to serve as a signal to theengineer of the state of the switch before the passage of his train overit.

The operation of my automatic switch is as follows: Suppose the maintrack is closed for the passage of trains, which can readily passwithout interfering with the short swinging rails, and that a train ison the side track H H; as the train moves forward, the wheels strike oneof the short rails 0, moving it sidewise, and carrying both switch-railslaterally to connect with the main track. Should another train, in thisarrangement of the rails, pass over the main track in the samedirection, the wheels would operate on the short rail in contact at itsfree end with one of the rails of the main track and move theswitchrails to connect with the main track. When a train is passing inthe opposite direction, and the switch is connected with the siding, andthe lever F, with its broad painted face, is elevated to indicate to theengineer the state of the switch, and it is desired to move on the maintrack, a lever attached to the cow-catcher or other front part of theengine, which may be moved out and in by the engineer at pleasure, isthrown out so as to bear on the upper surface of the lever F and connectthe switch with the main track.

I am aware that short swinging rails have heretofore been employed inconnection with the main track, switch, and side rails, and I,therefore, lay no claim to such short swingin g or pivoted rails, perso.

I claim as my invention- The switch-rails B B, pivoted at their junctionwith the main rails, in combination with the short swinging rails O 0,side rails H H, and levers D E F and their connecting-rods, by means ofwhich a train in motion on the siding switches itself on the main trackwhen moving in one direction, and forms a connec tion with the maintrack on its return, substantially as described.

CHRISTOPHER G. SHELBY.

Witnesses:

M. CHURCH, M. H. N. KENDIGr.

